Selfish
by Do Not Even Try
Summary: It wasn't anything personal. It was just who he was. Selfish. JakexMiley


"Would you just stop already!? Miley, STOP!"

The young woman ignored the screams as she walked faster. Her face held such anger that even the moon felt it should quake in fear. Her high heeled shoes tapped loudly against the concrete and her tears sparkled like little pieces of liquid sun on her cheeks.

"MILEY!"

The young man's screams were getting dimmer, and the woman smiled in satisfaction. Even though it was dark, cold, and rainy and her feet were killing her, she kept walking.

When she felt he was far enough off, she longed to rest underneath the street light that was directly above her. The ice cold rain had made puddles on the sidewalk, and in any other time, she would have avoided ruining her two thousand dollar dress. But currently, she was so drained and upset that all she could think to do was sleep.

She sank to the ground underneath the street light. The far-off sounds of the party were annoying and boisterous, making her wonder why she even went. The freezing, Arctic-like water from the puddle she sat in slowly seeped through the yellow silk of her dress. She leaned her wet body against the cold, wet metal of the street lamp and shut her eyes. She could almost feel the earth moving around her...spinning and spinning no matter what happened. She could feel the ice water penetrating her skin and soaking her veins, and it numbed her. It numbed her to an extent that even though she could remember what just happened, she could remember as if she was looking in at it. As if it was just some other woman and her former lover getting into a horrible, screaming fight in from of multiple paparazzi...

"There you are."

The woman slowly opened her sharp, vivid blue eyes. Years and years from now, the young man would still quiver thinking about the anger, the _hatred, _those once warm and gorgeous blue eyes held. He shifted his gaze away from her reproachful eyes and gazed at his wet shoes, moving back and forth on the balls of his feet with anxiety.

"Here I am," She replied bitterly.

The soft sprinkle or rain overhead fell down and caressed their skin. Neither spoke for a while, waiting for the other too. Finally, the young man cleared his throat,

"W-why didn't you tell me?"

His voice was gentle. Not angry, not mad as it had been. It was more hurt now, and the woman thought he deserved pain. He deserved to feel what she had.

"Because you wouldn't have wanted me to."

They both knew it was true. If she would have told him, he'd have backed out. Because he was selfish, and that's all he'd ever be. He would have wanted to give up his dream, his life, his career over anything. Not even her.

But still, he felt the lies slipping, "I would have! I would have wanted to know about my own child!"

The woman felt a bitter smile fit her face. She laughed coldly, struck by the transparentness of his lie.

"Oh really? You know good and well you wouldn't have wanted anything to do with a child. You would have ran away and abandoned me because you're a selfish person, Jake Ryan. You want something and don't pause to think about the consequences. And when something bad happens that could hurt you, you take no part in it. You wouldn't have wanted to give up your career for a child. You wouldn't have wanted to give up nights of sleep, your future, or your multiple girlfriends for a baby. So I merely did what I had to do to save myself further pain, and didn't even bother telling you."

He was staring at her. And once again, he felt his head and heart swim. She was the only person that would speak like that to him, the only person who it seemed could resist his charm. And that was what made him want her so much. She was always so hard, and with her everything he wanted seemed so far out of his reach. That was something he never experienced, because he could snap his fingers and have anything he wanted. He loved the challenge, and the high he got when he fought and worked for something. But she was right. No matter how much he loved her, wanted her, needed her...he wouldn't have given up anything for her. There was nothing he would have done for her if it were to put him out, nothing.

It wasn't anything personal, though, it was just who he was. Selfish.

And because of this, he was prepared to battle for his dignity. He was going to lie and lie until they both believed him, because he couldn't be on the losing end. Never.

"I would have wanted to know I had a child in this world! I am the father! I have the right to know about my child! I have the—

"Your child?"

Her voice was so sadistically quiet that is seemed to be stolen away with the light breeze. It echoed all around the world...sending unexplained chills down the population's spines...

"Yes." He explained, a hard wall of protection already set up, "My child."

"No," She yelled, her fists clenching and clenching in anger and the want to strangle him, "_My _child, Jake! _Mine_! She is _my_ daughter! You may have everything now or at one time had it, but there is something you need to know: You will _never _have or deserve the privilege of knowing your daughter."

The harshness of her words slapped him across his handsome face. Still, he felt breathless. The more she hated him, the more he loved her. It was a never ending cycle.

But that love didn't quench the anger he felt at her words. Because he knew she was right. And his ego was taking a beating because of it.

"I should _sue _you!" He spat angrily in her face. She just laughed again, because she knew he'd never. And even if did, she'd laugh. For, what was there to take? Money? Her house? Her car?

"You would never dare, Jake," She stated. They both knew it was true. He loved her.

"No. I wouldn't. But you simply can't refuse to let me have anything to do with my own child!" He burst. Then, with a thoughtful face, "A daughter, you said? A girl?"

She pulled herself up off the wet ground. He marveled the way her wet, yellow dress clung to her wet body and the way her wet hair seemed to be beautifully plastered to her cheeks, neck, and shoulders. He longed to lean over, and kiss her moist skin...

She gave him a hard stare, "Yes."

She started walking away again, as if she was done talking. Which she was, but Jake wasn't through. He hadn't gotten all he'd wanted. He'd keep coming back until he got exactly what he wanted. Sometimes when she was home alone, and when her daughter was sleeping, she would sit and think about the handsome man. And when she did, it was his determination that always made her smile to herself. He was strong, she'd give him that. Nothing could stop him when he truly wanted something. He loved strong, but fought for himself harder. That's who was his main concern: himself.

"Wait!" He called, as he caught up with her, "What's her name?"

She could have kept walking. However, she knew he'd never leave her alone. Now his mission was to get to know his secret daughter. She could see right through him. He'd meet his daughter, and be a wonderful father for quite some time. Then, it would get boring. He'd want more...he would see another challenge. And off he would be, out of his daughter's life. Leaving the five year old child wondering what she did to make her father leave...just like the young woman had been put through when he left her.

Never, she decided, never would her daughter be put through that.

She turned to face him slowly. The rain was streaming down his face as it picked up momentum, making him look even more beautiful. As he looked at her, her eyes held such fierce protectiveness for her daughter that she seemed to be radiating it. He decided right then and there that she was the only woman he would ever love.

"Her name is Charity. Do you know what that name means? It means generosity and love. Because out of all the things I would wish for my daughter to be, it would be generosity. She's gotten the determination and power from you, but she won't get your selfishness. And I won't allow myself to be selfish, by letting you walk into her life and hurt her like you've hurt me. So I'm going to take some strength and generosity from our daughter and walk away from you for good."

He'd felt a little thrill of happiness go through him at her words: _"our daughter.." _But now she was walking away from him. He tried to make his legs run after her, but he couldn't. He just watched her walk away...knowing his chase was over for now. He tried to go after her again in vain, for it was no use. Because he was realizing, painfully, just what he had lost.

He watched the only woman he'd ever love walk away from him, toward the daughter he'd never know, and cursed underneath his breath.

As the years went on, he would try again and again to get back in touch with her. He'd send out people searching, call her old numbers, go by old addresses...but he'd never find her. He would waste his whole life alone, searching for the one person that had the power to make him whole.

But he'd never find her. Because he was selfish, and that's all he could ever be. Selfish.

**A/n: Like it? Hate it? Speak out and leave your opinion. **


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